WHY BOOK A FLOAT fishing TRIP in alaska ROUGHING IT FOR A WEEK WHEN YOU CAN BOOK A LODGE?
There are a variety of trips to choose from in Alaska – with a variety of experiences to be had! From halibut fishing offshore, backtrolling for Kings, casting dries to hungry Grayling, or floating for giant rainbows – Alaska really offers an incredible array of fishing expeditions.
When choosing the right trip for you and potential participants it is important to understand Alaska is an incredibly dynamic state and not all of the biomes, scenery, landscapes or watersheds are the same. The Kanektok boasts all 5 species of Pacific Salmon.
That is not the case for all rivers in Alaska. Of these 5 species The Kanektok harbors one of the largest Sockeye Salmon breeding grounds on the planet. 2 runs of Dolly Varden and resident leopard rainbow trout round out what makes The Kanektok “The Chosen” River.
So, obviously, the Kanektok is a very special place with a unique ecosystem and an exclusive opportunity to catch a variety of species on fly rods.
But Why Float?
There are a few jet boat operations in the lower river – outside of the boundaries of Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. A couple of these jet boat operations have permits to be inside of the refuge as well, so there are absolute “lodges” on the Kanektok.
Go ahead – check them out. Weatherports and generators and jet boats – a quick charter wheel plane can get you to the village quite easily.
From the lower river outside of the refuge if you leave from the village of Quinhagak your average jet boat ride just to get to the boundary is 14 miles.
Now imagine burning more fuel and driving further spending more time in the jet boat just to reach the destination. Each night spent at the same location – fishing the same water.
Now imagine flying in a classic Alaska float plane to the headwaters of the entire system and approaching the river from a “downstream” perspective. It only gets better as each day progresses!
We carry top-of-the-line equipment for floating, fishing, camping, and overall outfitting. Our tents have been upgraded constantly – with new guest tents in 2020 and a new cooker tent in 2019. We eat inside of our state-of-the-art cooker tent at a real table with real dining. A hearty menu cooked by the guides along with amazing Dutch oven desserts. A shower tent, a bathroom tent, as well as heaters and on-demand hot water. Sure – we don’t have motors and generators but we really aren’t that far removed from a “lodge camp.”
OK – so the accommodations are pretty comparable. But still, the question remains…
Why take a float fishing trip in Alaska?
We operate on a permit-only basis mandated by the Department of The Interior. This permit is awarded to less than 10 outfitters every 10 years.
We have been fortunate to have held a permit on this river since the inception of permits in 1984. There are no other outfitters – no planes to fly on top of us – no jet boats in our holes – no drop-offs – no other floaters period. It is a permit system that keeps the outfitters away from each other by law.
Part of our permit requires that we have NO MOTORS in our possession or use. Since there are no humans and no motors our wilderness experience is unparalleled.
Each day we begin by packing down camp and striking a course for our next camp – guests can hike and fish as much as they want. There is no time wasted transporting to and from the fishing grounds in the jet boat – we are in the fishing grounds every day 24 hours a day!
So, no motors and no humans make for a great experience but what else is up there – inside of Togiak National Wildlife Refuge – that the lodges and jet boats can’t experience?
No one gets to see the lake / the “source” of the greatest salmon and freshwater fishery on the planet. Only folks who float from the top get to experience this grand place.
When floating from the lake our wildlife encounters are endless / and the beds of spawning salmon immediately begin. Some of the biggest Leopard Rainbows in the entire system migrate up toward the lake.
Water and fish that receive ZERO pressure. No jet boats. No Planes. No drop-off wade fishermen. Just your party floating through a majestic wilderness all to yourselves catching and releasing fish on fly rods!
Within Togiak National Wildlife Refuge on the Kanektok, there is a tributary to the river itself that is home to one of the largest runs of Dolly Varden in the world. Big Western Dolly Varden – TWO RUNS of them – in the home of the largest run on the planet…… It’s insane how many dolly varden are in the upper reaches that none of the lodges in the lower river get to see.
We have an incredibly special trip – that honestly is for a certain type of outdoors person. If you’re looking for a wilderness trip to Alaska there are a variety of options and we consider ours to be in the highest echelon of experiences. We offer the finest quality gear along with an incredibly exclusive trip that really can not be replicated. To float The Chosen is truly a life-altering experience.
Click on the button to check out some guest reviews. They speak the truth.
If you are looking to plan your Alaska Float – now is the time. We have limited availability already and would love to put together a trip for you!
You can email us at highcountryguides@gmail.com, call us at 828-386-6216, or swing by our shop in Downtown Boone!